Shawnee was ranked #17 on Money Magazine's 2010 list of "Best Places to Live" in America. As America's best small cities, Shawnee was
recognized for its affordable housing, air quality index and median commute
time.

2)

Shawnee was selected as one of the “Best
Affordable Suburbs in the United States” by BusinessWeek for
the second time - 2009 and 2006.

Shawnee is the only City in the Kansas City area to earn a Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists. Shawnee has 18 miles of on-street bike lanes, 40.8 miles of share-the-road lanes, and 27.6 miles of off-street recreational trails.

5)

Shawnee was a top 20 finalist for the All-America
City designation by the National Civic League.

6)

In 2009, the Government Finance Officers Association
of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded the City of Shawnee
the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for
its annual budget. This is a significant achievement as it reflects
the highest principles of government budgeting.

7)

Shawnee Mission and DeSoto School Districts,
the two public districts that serve students in Shawnee, once
again received the “Gold Medal” designation, the
highest award in the 2008 Education Quotient ratings by Expansion
Management Magazine.

8)

Shawnee Mission Park, located in Shawnee, is the
largest park in the area with 1,250 acres of land. It is the
most visited park in the State of Kansas.

9)

Shawnee Chamber of Commerce recently received
their 5-star accreditation from the U.S. Chambers of Commerce. The U.S.
Chamber's Accreditation Program is the only national program
that recognizes chambers for effective organizational procedures
and outstanding contributions toward positive change in their
communities. This makes the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce one of
the top 1% of the over 6,400 Chambers of Commerce across the
nation hold this honor.